Detachable and collapsable planter box being of a pallet box assembly

ABSTRACT

Pallet box assembly configured as planter box or workman&#39;s utility box is disclosed. The pallet box assembly includes a pallet base, two side panels, a front panel, and a rear panel, which are collapsible and reusable. Pallet base has tenon joint parts with locking mechanisms that extend out. Pallet base has an opening extending therethrough for ease of handling by pallet jack or hand truck. The side panels include grooves. Front and rear panels include tenon joint part with locking mechanism. The side panels are identical and interchangeable, the front panel is identical and interchangeable with the rear panel. Each locking mechanism includes a winged bolt threadedly inserted and engaged into the tenon joint part, and a wing which is rotated by about 45 to 135 degrees to engageably and securely attach the corresponding tenon joint part in the corresponding groove, so that the pallet box assembly is securely installed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This disclosure relates to a planter box, and particularly, to adetachable and collapsible planter box being of a pallet box assemblywhich provides a durable but detachable and reusable container boxhaving structural features of a pallet.

2. Description of Related Art

There has been a trend in various local communities towards gardeningusing planter boxes. Indeed, planter boxes are a popular choice forgardening in small confined spaces. The planter box can be used to growflowers, herbs, and vegetables in areas such as decks, patios, andbalconies. The planter box can be made of a cedar box supported by awood frame. Since cedar has good outdoor rot resistance, it has become agood choice for planter boxes. It is also untreated which means thattoxins won't leach out of the cedar box into the vegetables. Somelarger-sized planter boxes can be used to house larger plantings, suchas trees and shrubs. A planter box may even have wheels for easymobility. Other than cedar and redwood, planter boxes can be made ofvarious other materials, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. Overthe years, there are numerous do-it-yourself (DIY) planter boxes builtby many people, typically using wood materials for such projects.However, these wooden planter boxes typically takes significant time tofabricate, degrades over an extended period of time due to weathering,cannot be disassembled or detached, and some of the panels cannot beremoved or disassembled during normal usage. Meanwhile, most of thecommercially available plastic planter boxes are also typically notdetachable or removable. In addition, both the wooden and the plasticcommercially available planter boxes do not have sufficient structuralfeatures that would allow for the use of pallet jacks or hand trucks fortransporting of the planter box during normal use. Other issues commonlyfaced are that traditional methods of removing plants from traditionalplanters often cause damage to the plants and containers. In fact,larger commercial planters are often simply destroyed and damage theroots during the process of removing large plants, such as trees forexample. Although some conventional planter boxes have been available tothe market with removable side panels, they do not integrate a methodfor easy transportation such as a pallet or integrated wheels. Indeednurseries often place large planters directly on top of a pallet thuscreating unnecessary work without the benefit of binding the planter tothe pallet or having a collapsible and reusable planter.

In the conventional art relating to collapsible planter boxes, there isnot a collapsible planter box that is commercially available whichprovides an adequate method to protect the germinated plant from frost,birds, or pests via a plastic green house or protective bird or bugnetting. Meanwhile, although there are many products on the market tohelp facilitate the germination of seed and growing them into matureplants, there are no integrated systems which are useful and effectiveat all stages of growth of the plant from seedling all the way to amature plant.

Therefore, there is a need in the industry for an improved reusableplanter box with capabilities of providing convenient removal of one ormore of the panels thereof without having the entire planter boxcollapsing during use, and offering improved transporting stabilityduring handling by using a fork truck, forklift, hand pallet jack, orhand truck.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of present invention is to provide a detachable andcollapsible planter box in the form of a pallet box assembly whichprovides a durable but detachable and reusable planter box structurewith structural features of a pallet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pallet boxassembly which is capable of offering a convenient method for partialremoval, i.e. just one or more of the panels but not all of the panels,for example, a side panel, a side panel and a front panel, a side paneland a rear panel, or a side panel, front panel and rear panel, so as toallow access to the filled potted soil from each of the exposed sides ofthe pallet box assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pallet boxassembly which is capable of easy detachment and removal of all panels,i.e. both side panels and both the front panel and the rear panel sothat the disassembled panel pieces for the pallet box assembly can beconveniently and efficiently packed for shipping.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pallet boxassembly which is capable of disassembling into individual panels toallow for flat-packing for efficient shipping.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pallet boxassembly to function, serve or perform as a detachable and reusableplanter box that is durable enough to perform satisfactorily underoutdoor usage conditions for an extended duration of at least 5 years.

Another object of present invention is to provide a pallet box assemblywhich can be securely and conveniently transported by using a forktruck, forklift, hand pallet jack, or hand truck.

Another object of present invention is to provide a pallet box assemblywhich includes a plurality of PVC pipe attachment blocks for configuringa plurality of PVC pipes serving as additional structure features suchas seed germination and starter plant holders, a canopy, rain and suncover, or plant cover in the form of bird netting, bug netting, sunshading, or terrarium “greenhouse” cover for the pallet box assembly.

Another objective of present invention is to provide a maximum amount ofsoil aeration during all stages of plant growth form sprout to fullygrown plant.

Another object of present invention is to provide a pallet box assemblywhich have panels that have a plurality of vertical grooves formed onthe inside surface of the side panels, the front panel, and the rearpanel so as to prevent tangled roots.

Another object of present invention is to provide a pallet box assemblywhich have panels that can be added or removed without requiring thelifting or removal of the contents held therein. In fact, the object ordevice being transported can easily be inspected or even used withoutbreaking the container or removing the object from the pallet. This mayhave benefit in the ease of inspecting cargo or even using a piece ofmachinery housed inside and bolted to the pallet and transported tovarious field locations.

Another objective of present invention is to provide workman a lockablebox for tools and equipment that is easily transported and provideshelter from weather elements in the form of a sun and rain canopy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective assembly view of a pallet box assemblyaccording to a first embodiment along with exterior foam insulationpanels being added on.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective partial exploded view of the pallet boxassembly of FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a fully exploded view of the planter box configured beingof the pallet box assembly of the first embodiment (wheels are omittedfor brevity).

FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the pallet box assembly ofthe first embodiment which is further configured with several differentadd-on accessories and optional features.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the pallet box assembly of the firstembodiment being further installed with a top cover.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the pallet box assembly of the firstembodiment being further installed with several rectangular hangingtrays.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the pallet box assembly of the firstembodiment being further installed with a clear canopy cover.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a pallet box assembly of a secondembodiment comprising a seed carriage assembly and a PVC frame.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the pallet box assembly of FIG. 8with the PVC frame being removed.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective assembly view of a pallet box assemblyaccording to a third embodiment.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective exploded view of a pallet box assemblyaccording to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows an installation method of the pallet box assembly of thefirst embodiment.

FIG. 13 shows a partial removal method of the pallet box assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described more specifically withreference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that thefollowing descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention arepresented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It isnot intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise formdisclosed.

According to a first embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1-7, a pallet boxassembly 200 includes a pallet base 90; the pallet base 90 has fourtenon joint parts 70 that extend out from two side surfaces of thepallet base 90, each of the tenon joint part 70 includes one lockingmechanism 60. The pallet box assembly 200 further includes two sidepanels 120, a front panel 230 and a rear panel 240. The pallet boxassembly 200 can be fully adapted for use as a planter box for homegardening or for horticultural industrial shipping of plants.

The locking mechanism 60 of each tenon joint part 70 includes a threadedwinged bolt 62, which is threadedly inserted and engaged into the tenonjoint part 70 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The wings 61 of the lockingmechanism 60 can be made into the shape of a rectangular block, a flatplate, a pearl wing nut, etc. Each of the side panel 120 includes fourgrooves 65, in which two of the four grooves 65 are arrangedhorizontally adjacent to the bottom edge of the side panel 120, one ofthe four grooves 65 is arranged vertically adjacent to one edge of theside panel 120 (located closer to the front panel 230), and one of thefour grooves 65 is arranged vertically adjacent to another edge of theside panel 120 (located closer to the rear panel 240). The front panel230 has two tenon joint parts 70 that extend out from two side surfacesof the front panel 230, each of the tenon joint part 70 includes onelocking mechanism 60. The rear panel 240 has two tenon joint parts 70that extend out from two side surfaces of the rear panel 240, each ofthe tenon joint part 70 includes one locking mechanism 60. In addition,the front panel 230 has another two tenon joint parts 70 that extend outfrom two side surfaces of the front panel 230 and are located below thetwo corresponding tenon joint parts 70 that have the locking mechanisms60, respectively, each of the another two tenon joint parts 70 does notinclude any locking mechanism. Likewise, the rear panel 240 has anothertwo tenon joint parts 70 that extend out from two side surfaces of therear panel 240, and are located below the two corresponding tenon jointparts 70 that have the locking mechanisms 60, respectively, each of theanother two tenon joint parts 70 does not include one locking mechanism.Each of the locking mechanisms 60 of the front panel 230, the rear panel240, and the pallet base 90 can be inserted through one correspondinggroove 65 of the side panel 120, so that the tenon joint parts 70 areinserted and fittingly engaged with the corresponding groove 65 formedon the side panel 120 to form a tongue and groove joint. Furthermore,each wing 61 for each locking mechanism 60 can be rotated by about 45 to135 degrees in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction so as toengageably, snugly and securely attach the corresponding tenon jointpart 70 in the corresponding groove 65. The completely-installed palletbox assembly 200 has the front panel 230 and the rear panel 240configured directly on top of the pallet base 90, and the side panels120 thereof configured to have their bottom surfaces to be above groundlevel as much as possible considering the material strength surroundingthe groove 65 areas.

In this embodiment, the front panel 230 and the rear panel 240 can eachhave an exterior foam insulation panel 10 and an interior naturalmatting panel 15 that are attached and combined together to form aninsulation assembly 20 to be fittingly installed as shown in FIGS. 1, 2,and 3 as optional add-on features to the pallet box assembly 200. Inaddition, each side panel 120 can also include a semi-circular groove 50at the middle top portion thereof. The pallet box assembly 200 can alsoinclude a PVC frame structure 100. The PVC frame structure 100 includesa plurality of PVC pipes 40. Each PVC pipe 40 is securely mountedthrough a plurality of attachment blocks 80, and each attachment block80 has a hole therethrough that is slightly larger than or substantiallythe same as the diameter of the PVC pipe 40. The attachment blocks 80are integrally formed on the front panel 230 and the rear panel 240,respectively.

In this embodiment, the pallet base 90 has a plurality of shallow bordergrooves 130 (see FIG. 3) configured along the edges thereof adjacent tothe front panel 230 and the rear panel 230, respectively, so as to allowmore secured interlocking of the panels together to form an improved fitafter assembly is completed, as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the pallet base 90 is configured with an opening110 extending all the way therethrough. The pallet base 90 also includesa plurality of horizontal legs 99 extending downwardly along an edge ofthe pallet base 90 at both a front 98 and a back 97 of the pallet base90. There are two horizontal legs 99 in total. The horizontal legs 99are arranged parallel with the front panel 230. The opening 110 of thepallet base 90 is a through opening extending through the horizontallegs 99 from the front 98 to the back 97 of the pallet base 90. Theopening 110 is preferably configured to allow a pallet jack, fork lift,or a similar lifting device to gain access to the pallet box assembly200 from at least two sides, namely the front side and back side,thereby allowing for at least two way entries. The width of the opening110 of the pallet base 90 can be 18 inches or smaller, including 16.5inches but are not limited thereto. Based on the designed structuralfeatures of the pallet base 90 incorporating the opening 110 as shown inFIG. 3, the structural features of a pallet are being adapted to thepallet box assembly 200 for ease of handling by pallet jack or handtruck, etc. In addition, a second opening 222 is a through openingextending along a bottom portion on a plurality of sides of the palletbase 90 disposed directly below the side panels 120 of the pallet boxassembly 200 (as shown in FIG. 1), and the second opening 222 is locatedin between the horizontal legs 99.

Referring to FIGS. 4-9, in this embodiment, the pallet box assembly 200can have several additional add-on optional accessories installedthereon, including but not limited to, a clear canopy cover (a thickpoly. bag, as an example) 140, a meshed carriage tray 150, a rectangularhole-filled carriage tray 160, a seed carriage assembly 170, an aerationbase 180, a matting or sponge 195, a drainage pan 190, and a top cover210.

In this embodiment, different sizes of the pallet box assembly 200 canbe fabricated. The overall size of the pallet box assembly 200 can bebased upon those of North American, European Union, or ISO standardizedsize dimensions, i.e. 4 ft×4 ft pallets, and even a garden wagon insize. The pallet box assembly 200 can be made of materials such as wood,particleboard, plastic, and metal. The plastic material for the palletbox assembly 200 can also include recycled plastic material, and also UVweatherable grade plastic material. As a result, the pallet box assembly200 is durable enough to perform satisfactorily under outdoor usageconditions for an extended duration of at least 5 years.

Referring to the first embodiment, during testing, the rear panel 240 ofthe pallet box assembly 200 is directly contacting the vertical bar ofthe hand truck when tilting the pallet box assembly 200 for maximumefficiency and weight distribution.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of wheels 30 (which can be ofdifferent sizes to choose from) can be configured to the pallet boxassembly 200, which in essence, turns the pallet box assembly 200 into awagon, cart, dolly, or trailer vault.

Referring to FIGS. 3-4, in the first embodiment, a plurality of fixedaxles 35 are configured on the bottom of the pallet base 90 at eachcorner thereof, which later on, the wheels 30 can be attached so thatthe pallet box assembly 200 thereby becomes a cart or a wagon.

Referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a plurality of receptacle holes arearranged on the bottom of the pallet base 90 under each corner so that aplurality of fixed caster wheels (not labeled) can be configured, thuscreating a dolly configuration for fabricating a modified pallet boxconfiguration of the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 12, an installation method of the pallet box assembly200 of the first embodiment includes the following steps: Step S10: Thepallet base 90 is placed on the ground at a desired location. Step S20:One of the side panels 120 is fittingly mounted to the pallet base 90 bymeans of the pair of tenon joint parts 70 of the pallet base 90fittingly engaged in the pair of grooves 65 of the side panel 120,respectively. Step S30: Each wing 61 configured at the end of thethreaded winged bolt 62 of each locking mechanism 60 that isthreadedly-attached to each tenon joint part 70 of the pallet base 90 isrotated by about 45 to 135 degrees in either clockwise orcounterclockwise direction so as to engageably, snugly and securelyattach the corresponding tenon joint part 70 of the pallet base 90 inthe corresponding groove 65 of the one side panel 120. Step S40: Therear panel 240 is fittingly mounted to the one side panel 120 by meansof one tenon joint part 70 of the rear panel 240 fittingly engaged inone of the grooves 65 of the one side panel 120. Step S50: Each wing 61together with the long threaded winged bolt 62 of each locking mechanism60 that is threadedly-attached to each tenon joint part 70 of the rearpanel 240 is rotated by about 45 to 135 degrees in either clockwise orcounterclockwise direction so as to engageably and securely attach thecorresponding tenon joint part 70 of the rear panel 240 in thecorresponding groove 65 of the one side panel 120. Step S60: The frontpanel 230 is fittingly mounted to the one side panel 120 by means of onetenon joint part 70 of the front panel 230 fittingly engaged in one ofthe grooves 65 of the one side panel 120. Step S70: Each wing 61 alongwith the long threaded winged bolt 62 of each locking mechanism 60 thatis threadly-attached to each tenon joint part 70 of the front panel 230is rotated by about 45 to 135 degrees in either clockwise orcounterclockwise direction so as to engageably and securely attach thecorresponding tenon joint part 70 of the front panel 230 in thecorresponding groove 65 of the one side panel 120. Step S80: An anotherside panel 120 is fittingly mounted to the pallet base 90 by means ofhaving the pair of tenon joint parts 70 of the pallet base 90 fittinglyengaged in the pair of grooves 65 of the other side panel 120,respectively, and having the tenon joint parts 70 of both of the frontand rear panels 230, 240 fittingly engaged in the vacant grooves 65 ofthe another side panel 120, respectively. Step S90: Each wing 61 of eachlocking mechanism 60 located at the surface of the another side panel120 is rotated by about 45 to 135 degrees in either clockwise orcounterclockwise direction so as to engageably, snugly and securelyattach the pallet base 90 to the another side panel 120, respectively.

After the above installation method of the pallet box assembly 200 hasreached completion, the pallet box assembly 200 is assembly with all ofthe corresponding tenon joint parts 70 fittingly engaged and securelylocked in place in the corresponding grooves 65 by using thecorresponding locking mechanism 60, in which each of the wings 61 isfirmly abutted against the surface of the side panel 120, therebypreventing the pallet box assembly from detachment thereof. Furthermore,an optional step can be performed after the completion of the aboveinstallation method as follow: the exterior foam insulation panel 10 andthe interior matting panel 15 are fittingly installed on the front panel230 and on the rear panel 240 respectively as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and3.

For ease of construction, the pallet box assembly of the embodiments ofinstant disclosure can have the side panels to be identical andinterchangeable, and the front panel to be identical and interchangeablewith the rear panel.

A partial removal method of the pallet box assembly 200 includes thefollowing steps as shown in FIG. 13: Step S110: Determine one side panel120 for removal. Step: S120: Rotate the wings 61 of the lockingmechanisms 60 that are abutting the surface of the side panel 120 byabout 45 to 135 degrees in either clockwise or counterclockwisedirection until the wings 61 are able to slide through the correspondinggrooves 65 so as to detach the side panel 120 from the pallet base 90,the front panel 230, and the rear panel 240, respectively. Step S130(optional step): For removal of either the front panel 230 or the rearpanel 240, rotate the remaining wing 61 that is abutting the surface ofthe side panel 120 by about 45 to 135 degrees in either clockwise orcounterclockwise direction until the wings 61 are able to slide throughthe corresponding grooves 65 so as to detach the front panel 230 or therear panel 240 from the side panel 120, and the pallet base 90,respectively. Field tests of an embodiment show that one side panel caneasily be removed without affecting the front and rear panels, and thepallet base; and two side panels may be removed when a frame array isadded.

In the illustrated embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1-7, the pallet boxassembly 200 includes the attachment blocks 80 for mounting the PVCpipes 40. Each of the (PVC pipe) attachment block 80 includes a throughhole running through the vertical (height/longest) direction thereof.The diameter of the through hole is substantially of the same diameteras the PVC pipe 40 so as to ensure proper fit of the PVC pipe 40therethrough. Four (PVC pipe) attachment blocks 80 can be formed on eachof the corner of the front panel 230 and the rear panel 240,respectively. The PVC pipes 40 can be in ½ inch or ¾ inch in diameter.For home use applications, the ½ inch PVC pipe can be simply slippeddown to fit the ¾ inch PVC pipe couplings attached to the front and rearpanels 230, 240, and down into a plurality of recessed holes 220 on thetop of the pallet base 90 (see FIG. 11). In a slightly upgraded ormodified version of this embodiment, telescopic tent poles can be run onthe inside of the panels. In an even sturdier embodiment, two of theinside PVC pipes 40 can be recessed and locked into several key holes onthe pallet base 90. With the erection of all four PVC pipes 40 into thepallet base, having one PVC pipe 40 firmly installed at each corner ofthe pallet base 90, the pallet box assembly 200 can still sufficientlyprovide access and reach from the top or the sides. There are a numberof different ways of connecting the PVC pipes 40 to the pallet boxassembly 200 depending on factors such as cost consideration,aesthetics, and how much strength and rigidity is required.

When a seed carriage is placed on the PVC frame structure 100, it hasthe ability to rock back and forth so as not to disturb the seedlingsduring transportation or set at an angle for maximum sun exposure duringthe winter months in northern latitudes. The seed carriage can besuspended over the top edge of the pallet box assembly 200, on a frameof ½ inch reinforced PVC pipe or aluminum tent poles. With the recessedholes 220 drilled on the top of the pallet base 90, the PVC pipes 40 canbe inserted through the top of the pallet base 90, as shown in FIG. 11.In this way, a sturdy PVC frame 100 using PVC pipes 40 can be easilyerected in a variety of configurations. The seed carriage can then besuspended over horizontal PVC pipes 40 thus achieving maximum aeration.

To achieve a low center of gravity and thus an easier planter box tomove from place to place, the user will start seedlings on the top edgeof the planter box. As the plants grow and are transplanted into pots,the largest plants will remain in the lowest carriage while the smallestand lightest plants will be moved upward onto higher carriages. To beclear, most of the plants germinated will not end up in the planter box,but rather in other pots or a garden plot. Only the most logical choicessuch as potatoes, carrots, onions, and ginger would be transplanted intothe planter box itself. Please note, the pallet box assembly 200 can beused as the planter box.

Referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a pallet box assembly 300 of a secondembodiment includes a seed carriage assembly 170 inserted into the twosemicircle grooves 50 on the side panels 120 in such a way so as theseed carriage assembly 170 may sway with tilting but is prevented fromtipping over. The seed carriage assembly 170 offers the lowest center ofgravity for a seed germination and starter plant array, thus offering aneasily moved portable nursery terrarium “green house”.

As the seedlings grow and are transplanted into larger pots, so theplant cultivation system can grow vertically and the smaller plants canbe moved to upper carriage areas. Referring to FIG. 6, a variety ofcarriage trays 150, 160 for pots, starter flats, and germination trayscan be arrayed in a variety of ways using the PVC frame structure 100.This is crucially important in plant growth due to the importance ofaeration in the development of healthy root systems. Being suspended inthe air by the mesh carriage 150 or the hole filled carriage tray 160that suspends pots, starter flats, and germination trays in mid-airachieves a very high level of aeration which will certainly beappreciated.

Referring to FIG. 7, a variety of materials can be draped over the framecreating a number of environments depending on the need. FIG. 7illustrates a terrarium “greenhouse” being created by draping a thickpoly bag 140 over the PVC frame structure 100. Depending on the need,other materials that are also readily available on the market can alsobe draped over the PVC frame 100 such as frost protection blanket, birdnetting, and mosquito netting to mention just a few. With an insecticideapplied to the base of the pallet box assembly 200, and the plastic ormosquito netting covering the top of the pallet box assembly 200, theplants will be safe from insects, birds, and small animals. Thisconfiguration is surely appreciated due to the damage caused by suchpests.

For hot climates, a shading canopy 140 can be extended outwardly fromthe frame top to create an umbrella of shade which not only shades theplants within the pallet box assembly 200 but also surrounding areaswhich may help shade other plants and people, that will surely beappreciated by the user.

In this embodiment, an optional feature can be formed by adding theaeration base 180, as shown in FIG. 4, into the pallet box assembly 200.This aeration base 180 may have at the center region of the aerationbase to be in the form of a slightly recessed drainage region. Thisoptional feature will both promote healthy root growth and direct themajority of drainage over the drainage pan 190 and onto the sponge 195respectively as shown in FIG. 4.

In alternative embodiments, the front, rear, and side panels can have asubstantial amount of ornamental decorations, and each side of therespective panel can have either a lighter color, i.e. pale grey, or adarker color, i.e. dark brown. In general a lighter color is preferredso that the roots do not overheat in the summertime, but a darker colormay be more conducive to late winter/early spring conditions whencapturing radian heat is important. It should be noted that not only areside panels identical, but also interchangeable. With respect to theblock attachments 80 at the front and rear panels, 230, 240, see FIG. 2,they are also interchangeable, and it should be noted that there arecertain advantages to having the PVC framing on the inside or outsidedepending on the circumstances and needs.

For gardening purposes, the side panels, the front panel, and the rearpanel of the pallet box assembly all have a plurality of verticalgrooves 135 formed on the inside surface of the side panels so as toencourage deep healthy root development, as shown in FIG. 11. Thevertical grooves 135 are spaced evenly therebetween.

In the illustrated embodiment of the pallet box assembly 200 as shown inFIG. 3, the exterior foam insulation panel 10 and the interior naturalmatting panel 15 can be added over the panels, as seen in FIG. 3 as theinsulation assembly 20. In this embodiment, the foam insulation panel 10(which can have a high degree of decoration) and the matting panel 15are linked by straps and folded over the top edge of the panel. Anadhesive strip on the bottom edge of the foam panel 10 adheres the foampanel 10 to the outside of the panel of the pallet box assembly 200. Inthis way, a high degree of insulation is achieved with the aestheticbenefit of a variety of patterns and decorative molding. With regard tothe matting panel 15 shown in FIG. 3, it is similar in nature to anorganic fiber doormat. It is made of a wire frame over woven with densefiber such as hemp or coconut. The construction achieves the verticalgrooves described herein, with a porous membrane between another set ofvertical grooves, which creates airflow between the panel and thematting panel 15. In this way maximum aeration, water absorption, anddirectional deep root facilitation is all achieved with the same mattingpanel 15.

It should also be noted that when the contained plant becomes too maturefor the pallet box assembly (serving as planter box) and needs to betransplanted, one can disassemble the side panels and easily remove thecontained plant without damaging the root system. In general, largerplants with root bound conditions are usually damaged during transplant,but this type of damage would not occur with the pallet box assembly(serving as planter box) because the side panels can be easily removed.In gardening applications, the pallet box assembly 200 is superior forharvesting tubers, roots, and bulbous vegetables like potatoes, carrots,onions, ginger, etc., because the side panels can be disassembled, thusgaining easier side access to the vegetables in the soil.

According to another embodiment of present invention, a pallet boxassembly is adapted and configured for use as a workman's utility box(instead of a planter box). The workman's utility box could easily betransported to a remote job site. Moreover many construction workers arevictims of theft, of which the workman's utility box would discouragetheft of tools and equipment by providing a lockable storage box that ispart of a sun and rain canopy system.

In this embodiment, there is an effect to create a weather resistant boxwith no drainage holes and a lockable lid, which protects fragileequipment such as electronics, computers, communication equipment, etcfrom damaging elements such as rain, dust, dirt, extreme temperatures,shock impacts, etc. In this embodiment, the framing suspends a sun andrain shelter, which creates a desirable workspace around the pallet boxassembly. Expensive and fragile equipment will be protected from theelements of weather by having them raised off the ground, covered by asun and rain shelter, and housed inside the pallet box assembly.

For a more mobile workstation the wagon version of the pallet boxassembly with a sun and rain shade added to the top of the frame createsa highly mobile work station that is sheltered from inclement weatherwhile facilitating the transportation of tools, gear, and supplies intothe field.

In another alternative embodiment of the framing, the use of strongmagnets on the framing can create various utilities such as a positivealignment of the frame to the block attachments and a tool rack formetal tools similar to a magnetic kitchen knife strip.

In an alternative embodiment, the locking mechanism can be embodied by amodified conventional window lock that would cap the ends of the tenon,replacing the threaded winged bolts, and by modifying the shape of thewindow lock locking mechanism, a very strong low profile metal lockcould be achieved. The recessed and lockable mechanisms would be veryuseful for the large sized touring vaults and shipping containers.

The pallet box assembly offers the benefit of having a built-in palletbase, which is configured to be substantially identical to the bottompart of a conventional pallet, thereby allowing for convenienttransporting by pallet jacks or forklifts, where as traditional largeplanters need to be used in conjunction with traditional pallets and yetare not attached in any way thus creating a more unstable unit. Thepallet box assembly of various embodiments of present invention usesless material, is far more stable, is collapsible and reusable,therefore it is environmentally friendly and easy to use.

Typically, standard pallets are being transported using variousmechanical and motorized machines (fork lifts, pallet trucks, etc).Meanwhile, a smaller-sized pallet box assembly can be transported via ahand truck, garden wagon, or other such human powered means. In anotherpreferred embodiment, a preferred shape for the pallet base for thesmaller-sized pallet box assembly is rectangular instead of square.

The pallet box assembly also has many applications in commercialagriculture. One of the advantages of the pallet box assembly of theembodiments of instant disclosure is the convenient and flexible mannerof which the side panels are connected to the pallet base and the frontor rear panel are attached to the side panels and thus can be assembledor disassembled/removed without lifting or removing the contents carriedinside the pallet box assembly. As would be appreciated by anagricultural planter, the ease of assembly and disassembly capability ofthe pallet box assembly of instant disclosure provides many benefitswhen it comes to removing or transplanting plants. With the pallet boxassembly, the side panels and the front and rear panels can be easilyremoved without causing trauma to the root system of the plant, and thepallet box assembly functioning as a planter box can be used multipletimes over several years.

Another advantage with the pallet box assembly functioning as a planterbox is that the contained plant can weight up to 200 pounds or 91kilograms, or more and still be easily moved multiple times to differentareas. Depending on the weather conditions, the plant along with thepallet box assembly can be moved into direct sunlight, shade, orindoors. This is particularly useful in harsh weather climates or forstaging various events such as weddings, concert performances, etc.

The pallet box assembly is highly adaptable for many differentapplications and situations. In general, a typical 4 ft×4 ft pallet isuseful for transporting heavy, large, or odd shaped objects because theobject only has to be placed onto a pallet just once, and then it can beeasily transported many times with minimal effort.

In a fifth embodiment, the pallet box assembly can be adapted for usagefor carrying and transporting shipped product, in which the pallet boxassembly can be installed and configured with sensors for temperature,security, and tracking, yet this customized pallet box assembly caneasily be disassembled, shipped flat, and reused many times. Thus, thepallet box assembly of this embodiment, which is capable ofdisassembling into individual panels, allows for flat-packing of all ofthe respective panels for efficient shipping. Another advantage of thisembodiment is that the product securely contained on the inside thereofcan be inspected, tested, or even used without having to be taken offthe pallet base thereof. This can be done multiple times using a minimalamount of effort, simply remove at least one or two panels.

In alternative embodiments, a large heavy item such as a water pump canbe transported inside the pallet box assembly into the fields, and someof the panels can be removed without the large heavy item ever leavingthe pallet base of the pallet box assembly (other heavy items includefor example, generators, pumps, emergency equipment, military equipment,etc).

To aid in moving very heavy items, a removable ramp can be configured toone side of the pallet box assembly, so that very heavy items can besafely rolled or scooted onto the pallet. If the object has a tendencyto roll or sway off the pallet, then the panels can be added so as toincrease the safe transportation of the item.

In all embodiments of present invention, the essence of the pallet boxassembly has remained the same; a pallet, two identical side panels thataffix to the pallet via a locking mechanism, and identical front andrear panels which affix to the side panels via a locking mechanism.Refer to FIG. 10, a pallet box assembly 500 according to a thirdembodiment is shown in which no attachment blocks are present, and thefront panel 510, the rear panel 520, and the opening 590 are similar tothe front panel 230, the rear panel 240, and the opening 110 of thefirst embodiment, respectively. Refer to FIG. 11, which shows aperspective exploded view of a pallet box assembly 600 according to afourth embodiment. The primary function of the pallet base is to raisethe base of the pallet base off the ground, which creates the clearanceneeded for the side panels to be attached. In the fourth embodiment asshown in FIG. 11, the locking mechanisms are identical to those of otherembodiments, thereby they are omitted for brevity. This is a novel andunique method for creating a collapsible box, which is also easilytransportable.

What is claimed is:
 1. A planter box for housing plantings comprising: apallet base defined by a front edge, back edge, and two side edges; thepallet base comprising: four or more tenon joint parts that extendhorizontally out from the two side edges of the pallet base; a firstshallow border groove is disposed along the front edge of the palletbase and a second shallow border groove is disposed along the back edgeof the pallet base; a first leg and a second leg, the first leg extendsdownwardly from and along the front edge of the pallet base, said secondleg extends downwardly from and along the back edge of the pallet base,wherein the first leg and the second leg parallel to one another; afirst opening extending through the first leg in a direction from thefront edge of the pallet base toward the back edge of the pallet base; asecond opening extending through the second leg in a direction from theback edge of the pallet base toward the front edge of the pallet base;wherein the first and second openings provide two way entries for alifting device to be inserted through the first and second openings;wherein the first leg is spaced apart from the second leg to form athird opening in a bottom portion of the pallet base, the third openingof the pallet base is a through opening extending from a first side edgeto a second side edge of the two side edges of the pallet base; a frontpanel comprising one or more tenon joint part, wherein the front panelis received in the first shallow border groove; a rear panel comprisingone or more tenon joint part, wherein the rear panel is received in thesecond shallow border groove; two side panels, each of the side panelsincludes four or more grooves, in which at least two of the grooves arehorizontal grooves extending along and adjacent to a bottom edge of theside panel for receiving at least two of the four or more tenon jointparts of the pallet base to form tongue and groove joints, at least oneof the grooves is a vertical groove extending along and adjacent to oneedge of the side panel for receiving one of the one or more tenon jointpart of the front panel to form at least one tongue and groove joint,and at least another one of the grooves is a vertical groove extendingalong and adjacent to another edge of the side panel for receiving oneof the one or more tenon joint part of the rear panel to form at leastone tongue and groove joint; wherein the front panel and the rear panelare configured to be positioned directly on top of the pallet base;wherein the two side panels are configured to have all of bottomsurfaces thereof raised above a ground surface; wherein each of thetongue and groove joints includes a locking mechanism, each of thelocking mechanisms includes a long threaded winged bolt and a wing;wherein the long threaded winged bolt of each of the locking mechanismsis inserted through one of the grooves of the side panel and engagedinto a respective one of the tenon joint parts of the front panel, therear panel, and the pallet base; whrein said wing of each of the lockingmechanisms is rotated by about 45 degree to 135 degree to engageably andsecurely attach the respective one of the tenon joint parts in the oneof the grooves of the side panel, thereby connecting the pallet base,the front panel, the rear panel and the side panels together to form apallet box assembly; a PVC frame structure including a plurality of PVCpipes; a plurality of attachment blocks are formed on each corner of thefront panel and the rear panel, respectively; wherein the plurality ofPVC pipes are inserted through the plurality of attachment blocks to beattached to the pallet base; one or more carriage tray arranged on thePVC frame structure; a plurality of drainage holes formed on the palletbase; and a plurality of wheels, wherein the plurality of wheels areattached to the pallet base.
 2. The planter box as claimed in claim 1,wherein the pallet base is made of plastic material or recycled plasticmaterial constructed of single integral structure.